Letting go is probably the hardest part of keeping a family cow. Whether by making the decision to beef or put-down an older and/or injured cow, or by natural death, or even by selling or giving her away to a very good home; saying Good-bye is often like losing a cherished family member. The following tribute by Tiffiany Walker gives us a beautiful inside view of the gratitude and grief she feels after the loss of Lovely Cow. For those who knew Lovely and those who fell in love with her stories, those who watched as they drove by and those who’ve had the blessing of being touched by her love…Our story began together, almost not, 3 years ago when our family was given the most unexpected gift, a dairy cow lactating 3 gallons of milk a day, easy. Completely new to the care of cattle or any large animal the learning curve was steep and educational. We have learned how to work a way of life that sustained our ancestors, into a world too fast for our own good. In the busy morning rush taking a minute to hug and smell her, or while in the sun warming her in the meadow taking a minute to soak it up with her, bringing her in the barn on quiet snowy afternoons and most recently feeling complete comfort in watching her give another cowlick to one of her own, something we could only let Lovely do with jeans on. The stories are endless and so deeply engrained in our lives, each of us here.

So, in her passing over the weekend these memories we hold to a little tighter. Deborah Tyler, thank you so very much for a most cherished gift our family could have and the little kisses from Rebecca Jean.

Thank you Tiffiany for showing us a beautifully respectful and loving way of letting go.

Dig this poetry by Clea Fowler! To keep up on the latest mud, come to the Motherhouse Old-Style Life-Skills Series Workshop: To Boast of Compost on June 14, 2016 at R own Local Farm where we’ll learn about building soil health from using green manure, to “Lasagne Gardening,” to vermiculture, to Rudolph Steiner’s biodynamic approach, to Permaculture’s chicken tractors. Upcycle used materials to build a bin and go home with red wriggler worms to kick-start your own compost.

On reclaiming mud: Election edition. (5/23/2016)

Slogging through the
Quagmire
the Quicksand
Fecundity Mainstream
Mudslinging
Diggin’ up the dirt
Washed up
All wet
Dirty Dirty Politics.

And whose hands are clean?
This hearty May,
when gardens are beckoning,
i judge any whose fingernails are too clean.

My heroes wear spades and edging tools
they are busy drawing lines.
Those that have an eye
to the future
and can make the brutal cuts.

Those that KNOW these decisions
must be made,
again, and again.

The grass is never greener on the other side.
Because the only side they know is the one that they fully own, and understand.
The green side they give their full attention
devotion
and dirty fingernails to.

The Story of a Calf with a Broken Leg and His Caregiver, Alex

One day, when Alex went out to the Valley to move the cows to a new paddock and fresh grass, he found a newborn calf with a broken leg. Carefully, he wiped it off and carried it to a shady spot under a tree. Neighbors started worrying about the calf out there all by itself, and called me. Not realizing its leg was broken, I assured them that mother cows usually hide their calves in the grass and only visit occasionally to feed them. This calf was bright-eyed and had a full belly so I wasn’t concerned. However, Alex and his mom watched it limping to suckle and became quite concerned. They put him in the backseat of their car and drove it to Dr. Hayden who confirmed its leg was broken. Alex named him Little Man and brought him to stay in the barn at Local Farm where he’d be out of the elements and there was plenty of milk.The next day, we took him back to the vet to have his leg splinted.Alex came to the farm twice a day every day to feed and walk Little Man.Because Little Man licked and chewed on the tape holding his splint in place, his good foot would catch in it and bend the whole contraption. Riding to the vet to have it readjusted and taped became a regular thing for Little Man.While they were out, Alex and his mom would take Little Man to visit his herd…and his human friends in the village.At Local Farm, he and Alex explored the grounds…and met the Local Farm cows.Six weeks later, Dr. Hayden removed the splint and sent him back to Local Farm to continue healing!On the way back to Local Farm, they stopped by The Valley to visit Little Man’s mother.At the farm, Little Man gained a new roommate named Magnus.
Together, they’d share a drink at the Local CALFeteria!… and frolic in the pasture…where they became fast friends.When Little Man, the calf with the broken leg, was finally strong enough to go back to his herd, Alex loaded him in a trailer,…and drove him back home to the village and his kine.

Georgia has been fascinated with cows ever since discovering the playful nature of a young steer while she was volunteering at Stamford Nature Center. As a special treat, her family arranged for a farm birthday party at Local Farm. Here are some photos of Georgia, her husband Matt, and their daughter Audrey; shMOOzing with MOOcows, walking calves, and cuddling with Vulture the hen… all in all: a FARMtastic Birthday adventure!

Welcome to Local Farm

Many of our events are organized collaboratively with the non-profit Motherhouse, Inc. For regular updates on their eggscellent Old Style Life-Skills Series of workshops for the backyard farmer/homesteader, subscribe to the free Motherhouse newsletter, and/or "Like" Motherhouse on Facebook and receive reminders and reports of these and udder eggsciting events.

R Local Farm

"Where else in the world could I watch young kittens at play, cuddle a baby bunny, muck out a calf pen, see a newborn calf, watch swallows feeding their young, feed some chickens, watch a cow being bred, and walk an obstreperous young bull?" asked Naomi after a morning visit to Local Farm.
July 26, 2013.